1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to devices for facilitating the collection of bodily fluid specimens from subjects. Particularly the present invention is directed to a novel fluid specimen collection device that can be used in combination with a specimen containment vessel to provide a convenient, inexpensive specimen collection system that facilitates sanitary collection of fluid specimens. More particularly the present invention is directed to a novel disposable urine collection device that can be used in combination with any standard urine containment vessel and configured to provide an inexpensive, sanitary, convenient device for the collection of urine from a subject.
2. Background Art
A routine medical diagnostic procedure is to conduct analysis on urine samples collected from patients. Typically when collecting urine samples for medical testing and analysis, patients are provided a urine specimen collection container and often are instructed to catch a mid-stream sample of urine so as to provide a sample with minimal contamination. Female patients are also frequently provided with a packaged sterile wipe and instructed to cleanse the vaginal area prior to attempting to catch a mid-stream urine sample omen are provided a specimen collection container for use after cleansing the vaginal area of topical bacteria. They then must either sit or squat over the toilet and hold the collection container in their hand while voiding a small amount of urine into the toilet before collecting a midstream specimen. This must be done while attempting to strategically position the container below the urine stream. This technique can be very challenging for all women, but especially pregnant, overweight, or elderly females. The current process most often results in urine splashing on the sides of the container and on the patient's hands as they attempt to collect the urine. This creates an unsanitary as well as repugnant situation for the patient and the nurse/technician who subsequently must handle the contaminated containers. The situation is no less repugnant for the severely obese patient, male or female or for the young child in need of adult assistance.
Previous efforts to provide devices to assist in the sterile collection process of urine specimens have been large unwieldy and expensive devises designed more for the physician's/technician's ease of use to collect uncontaminated and sterile urine specimens. Other efforts have attempted to provide devices that are made from non-biodegradable material that are expensive to produce and therefore cost prohibitive as a one-time-use, disposable product. Examples of such conventional devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,963 issued to Dodd et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,606 issued to Young, U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,388 (Hovick), U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,091 issued to Linzer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,503 issued to Hovick, U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,647 issued to Gleason et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,107 issued to Linzer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,770 issued to McDonald, U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,898 issued to McDonald, U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,791 issued to Kuntz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,020 issued to Franklin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,889 issued to Kuntz et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,162 issued to Kuntz et al. Such conventional efforts to provide a device to facilitate the collection of urine samples have consistently proven to be large, bulky or expensive to produce and further are not designed as biogradeable disposable devices for routine medical office collection.
As such, a need therefore remains for a disposable, inexpensively produced, simply operated device capable of facilitating easy, sterile, collection of urine specimens in a home, clinical, or hospital environment.